Charles h



(No Model.)

0. H. LILLY. Connection for Lightning Rods.

.No. 230,293. Patented July 20,1880.

I UNITED STATES PATENT Orrice.

CHARLES H. LILLY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

CONNECTION FOR LIGHTNING-RODS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,293, dated July 20, 1880.

Application filed April 30, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. LILLY, of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Connection for Lightning-Rods, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple connection by which two 1i ghtnin g-rods which cross each other upon the roof or other part of a building may be secured to the roof and held in contact with each other, and one of them held in contact with a receiving rod or point.

My invention consists in a clamp constructed with passages for conductingrods transverse one to the other and intersecting each other, so that the crossing rods are in contact one with the other, and also provided with a socket opposite the intersection of the passages communicating with the uppermost passage, so that a receiving rod or point inserted in said socket may be pushed inward to make contact with one of the conductingrods. The said socket and receiving'point are preferably screw-threaded, and when so constructed the receiving rod or point serves as the'means for holding the crossing conduct-- ing-rods tightly in contact one with the other.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved clamp or connection illustrating the manner of securing the rods. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section through the same; and Fi 3 represents a plan of a clamp or connection of slightly modified form.

The clamp or connection A is adapted, for instance, to be applied to the ridge of a roof for connectinga conducting-rod running along the ridge with a cross-rod close to the ridge. As clearly represented, it is constructed with crossed passages to I), (shown in this instance as at right angles to each other,) and of a form to receive and confine square or rectangular conducting-rods B O. The form of the passage may,'however, be varied to suit rods of other forms.

The passages a and b intersect each other, or run one into the other, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, so that the rods B and O are held in contact one with the other at their intersection, as indicated at s, so that acurrent of electricity may pass from one to the other. Opposite the intersection of the passages to and b, and above the latter, the clamp is furnished with a socket, 0, which extends downward to the horizontal passage 7;, into which it opens, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

D designates a receiving rod or point, of a size to fit in the socket c, which should be constructed or provided with some devicesnch, for instance, as a set-screw-for clamping or holding the receiving-point securely therein, with its inner end in contact with the rod 0 at 0. As here represented, the socketand the end of the receiving rod or point are both screwthreaded, and when so constructed the point may be turned to press and hold the rods B G in close contact one with the other, and the receiving-rod itself in close contact with the upper rod, 0, so that the continuity of conductivity may be preserved between the receiving rod or point and both conducting-rods.

As represented in Fig. 1, the clamp or connection A is provided with feet or lugs d for the reception of screws for securing it upon a roof or support. In certain instances it may be desirable to form the clamp or connection of two sections, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, which are secured together by screws or bolts 6 passing through lugs f.

The line of division, it will be observed, is parallel with the passage Z), and hence, after slipping the clamp over the rod B from the end, the two sections may be separated to receive the rod C, and after its insertion are clamped together.

If desirable for effecting the more perfect insulation of the rods and clamp from their support, a plate of glass or other non-conducting material may be placed under the feet or lugs d.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A clamp or connection for lightning-rods constructed with passages for rods transverse one to the other and intersecting each other, so that the rods when inserted in the passages will be in close contact one with the other at their intersection, and provided with a socket opposite the intersection of the passages,con1- municating with one passage, so that the end of a receiving rod or point inserted in said socket may be in close contact with the rod underneath it, substantially as specified.

2. The clamp or connection A, constructed with the passages 00 Z) transverse to each other and intersecting or opening into each other, and provided with the screw-threaded socket c, communicating with the passage 1), substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the clamp or connection A, constructed with the passages a b and screw-threaded socket c, of the rodsB O, in-

kserted in the passages a b, and the screwthreaded receiving rod or point D, fitted in said socket, hearing at the end upon the rod (J and forcing it against the rod B, all substantially as specified.

0. H. LILLY.

Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, E. P. JEssUP. 

